


anyang

by mingowow



Series: we were always a movie [2]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, Future Fic, Idol Verse, M/M, traveling best friends (not yet boyfriends)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21936130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mingowow/pseuds/mingowow
Summary: there's no place like home for the holidays (even if it's your best friend's home).
Relationships: Kim Mingyu/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Series: we were always a movie [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1343017
Comments: 10
Kudos: 81





	anyang

**Author's Note:**

> hello again~ sorry for the delay with this series.
> 
> for those who haven't read the other fics, this is a piece of a collection of fics that are centered around different trips mingyu and minghao take throughout their lives together! the order in which i'm writing them is non-linear (though in the series, i sort the fics to be in chronological order so that they can be read that way). they all take place in the same canon idol universe. :)
> 
> while you don't have to read the other fics to understand this one, i'd highly recommend at least reading the first fic in the series [jeju island (the second)] as it will help explain elements/situations within this fic.
> 
> unbeta'd, sorry for any mistakes!
> 
> kudos and comments are always appreciated! ^^~
> 
> please enjoy and happy holidays!!

Minghao can’t wrap his head around where the year went. His mother’s words ring true in his ears: the older you get, the more quickly time slips by.

The end of the year is always a blur of award shows and performances but this year is particularly bursting at the seams with activity. The continuation of their world tour carries over into the new year, meaning between special stage rehearsals and outfit fittings, they’re touching up on their tour routines.

So it’s a surprise to all thirteen of them when management tells them they can have Christmas Day off. They have to attend KBS Gayo Daechukje on the 24th but they’re informed once that wraps, they’re free to head home if they like.

There’s some chatter between the members, most vowing to come back in the evening of the 25th so they can resume their practicing. Minghao overhears Joshua accept an invitation to Vernon’s house and he spots out of the corner of his eye Jun chatting with Jeonghan. Jun’s head turns towards him and Minghao knows why.

Usually Joshua, Jun, and himself end up spending holidays together at the dorms; occasionally Wonwoo and Jihoon join them if there isn’t enough time for them to make the trek home. But this time, both seem to have plans of some sort, leaving the three foreigners.

And if Joshua is heading to Vernon’s and Jun plans to go with Jeonghan…

“I can stay behind, if you want to stay,” Jun says, suddenly beside him. Jeonghan pops up behind his shoulder.

“You can come too, Eissa!”

Minghao smiles at his hyung. “Two extra people at your house--”

He’s interrupted by someone behind him. “You can come to my parents’ house, if you want.”

Minghao knows the voice so he isn’t surprised to see Mingyu’s face, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly taken aback by the invitation.

He shouldn’t be, he knows that, because they’re all like a family and spending a day or two with each other’s parents is nothing out of the ordinary. Especially with Mingyu, given their closeness and the fact that they’ve spent countless holidays with one another’s families in the past. Mingyu has joined the Xu’s for Lunar New Year and he’s even spent some time during Chuseok and past Christmases with Mingyu’s family.

But things are slightly… different now. Not really, Minghao tries to remind himself, because Mingyu is still his best friend and as far as anyone else is concerned, nothing has changed between them. Because nothing has, not really.

That doesn’t stop Minghao from constantly thinking about their trip to Jeju just a few months back though, when something confusing and heavy bloomed in his stomach. 

Nothing’s different… except for Minghao and his realizations.

He must have been lost in his thoughts longer than he intended because he sees Mingyu’s face fall before he speaks up again.

“I mean, only if you want to…”

He suddenly feels a bit uncomfortable with all the sets of eyes on him: Mingyu resembles a kicked puppy with his unintentional jutted out bottom lip, Jun’s head is bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball, and Jeonghan’s expression reads as… suspicious?

Minghao knows he should feel torn about what to do, he loves his members equally. But he can’t deny that feeling in his gut, a sprout attempting to push its way out of a stone.

“Oh. Are-- are you sure that’s alright?” he asks, gaze flickering to Mingyu’s face. 

The taller’s eyes seem to sparkle at that before he grins and nods. It’s a pointless question because of course it’s alright, they’re all family after all. “Of course.”

Christmas Eve evening, Mingyu’s parents drive into Seoul and pick the two of them up. They’re both met with tight, squeezing hugs and fond cheek pats. It warms his insides when Mingyu's mom makes a comment to nobody in particular about how happy she is to have her sons with the family. _Sons_ , plural. Mingyu and him too. He grins unabashedly at the title.

Home-cooked meals always taste best, even if it’s not from his own home. It's nearly as close though, considering how Mingyu's parents treat him like their second son and Mingyu's sister eagerly and sweetly asks about his life. He smiles fondly when the family gangs up on Mingyu to poke fun at him, a sight that is all too familiar to life back at the dorms. He doesn't join in on the teasing though, instead gently defending his best friend, a role he generally fills. Mingyu is as grateful as ever, mumbling to his family something along the lines of, ' _At least someone gets me._ '

Mingyu's sister bids them goodnight and goodbye early on; Mingyu's mom interjects with how she'll be spending Christmas Day with her boyfriend ("it's a couples' day, after all") and won't be around. Minseo even gives Minghao a tight hug before turning in for the night. It leaves him with a nice, sentimental feeling.

The neighborhood is so quiet at night, sans a few groups of drunk friends out stumbling home or to another bar, taking advantage of the fact that tomorrow is a day off for many.

Mingyu walks him a few blocks down to a small park. It's empty now and he's sure that they aren't supposed to be hanging around there at this hour, but he doesn't say anything when Mingyu sits down on a bench near the workout equipment. He slides down beside him, letting their shoulders touch.

"Did you not want to come here? To my parents' place?" Mingyu asks him out of the blue.

Minghao cocks his head to the side before glancing at his friend. "No, of course I wanted to come."

"You can tell me if you didn't," Mingyu assures, smiling in this sort of sad but understanding way. It makes Minghao's heart ache ever so slightly.

"I wouldn't have come if I didn't want to." Mingyu nods a little at that and silence overtakes the two.

It's not too cold, the winter being unseasonably warm so far this year. Minghao's thankful for it because his body can never adjust quite well to it. Even in the mild temperatures and his long padded jacket, he's glad to have Mingyu beside him, radiating heat like a furnace. Minghao leans into the warmth, letting his head drop down to his friend's shoulder.

It's the most casual yet intimate exchange they've had in some time. And that's when it really hits Minghao just how much he's missed it.

He can feel the deep breath Mingyu takes before he starts to talk, body rumbling against where his cheek is resting.

"I'm sorry if I've done anything this year to upset you or hurt you or... make you feel uncomfortable."

Reluctantly, Minghao sits up to look at Mingyu's face. The taller's gaze is focused straight ahead and while Minghao expects him to turn and meet his eyes, he doesn't.

"What's this all about?" he asks, carefully.

_Jeju, Jeju, Jeju_ his mind chants at him. But for all he knows, he could be projecting that. Maybe Minghao is the only one caught up on the slightly odd vibes of their last trip alone together. Maybe all Mingyu is talking about is when he stole food off Minghao's plate or accidentally cracked his phone screen when he stepped on it a few months back. Maybe it's--

"On our trip, to Jeju. I know you could tell something was up with me and... and I think you know what it was, but you're too good to me to call me out when it's something as sensitive as this," Mingyu rambles on.

Minghao blinks, still waiting for Mingyu to look at him. All he does is glance briefly at Minghao, but it's enough for the Chinese boy to catch the glint in his eyes. He's very emotional.

"So if you were angry or uncomfortable or whatever else, you can tell me. You're too kind about stuff like this, you can tell me. You should tell me, I deserve to hear it for what I did."

Minghao doesn't know what to say because to him, it was just an awkward exchange. And not for the reasons he initially assumed too. When everything had first happened, there was confusion on whether he misread the situation, even though deep in his gut, he was confident he hadn't. And then there was confusion about his own personal disappointment that what he thought was going to happen never got the chance too.

Mingyu was going to kiss him that night in Jeju.

Why would he feel so let down over that not happening? He asked himself that question at least a thousand times since the realization dawned on him. And while he never fully confirmed the answer, he's always known why he was disappointed: he had wanted to kiss Mingyu too.

"Mingyu, I'm not angry or uncomfortable," he tells the other.

His words must not be believed though, by the way Mingyu looks at him as if he's holding back the urge to roll his eyes. It tugs at something inside Minghao's chest and before his brain catches up to his body, he finds his fingers stroking at the other's cheek before carding through his hair.

"I'm not, I promise. I felt confused. I guess I still feel some confusion," Minghao admits, biting his lip.

"So... you're just confused as to why I was like that?" Mingyu asks him, voice soft. He sounds small and young, so much so that Minghao can't help but smile just a little, allowing himself to continue to pet Mingyu's hair, even if the voice inside him tells him he should stop.

"I guess a little bit, but I'm more confused about what I was thinking and feeling myself."

Mingyu looks at him again, blinking. "What do you mean?"

Minghao's hand draws back then, his back straightening and eyes wandering away, focusing instead on a swing slightly dancing in the breeze.

He clears his throat, willing his face to not blossom into pinks and reds. "I guess I wanted something to happen that never did."

This is so stupid, he thinks. He and Mingyu aren't the type to beat around the bush with each other; if anything, their transparency and honesty is one of the main components that have helped their friendship and relationship with one another grow into what it is.

So he should just say it, just spit it out. He's sad they didn't kiss, he had wanted to know what it would feel like, he _still_ wants to know what it's like...

"I was disappointed that I didn't get to kiss you," he finally admits.

He can feel Mingyu's eyes on him, their heat hotter than his boiler of a body is beside him.

"Oh." Mingyu's voice cracks a bit and it's enough to give Minghao the gall to look over at him.

His cheeks are flushed and his lips parted, as if he's stunned. Maybe he is. Maybe he really is because if he was thick enough to think that Minghao was angry at him when in reality all he wanted to do was find out how it would feel to kiss him, then maybe all of this is a huge surprise.

"Do you still want to?" Mingyu asks.

It's Minghao's turn to blush. "To what?"

"To kiss me." Mingyu smiles a little, shyly. Minghao hates how he is overflowing in fondness.

It's his natural instinct to play off the admission; he shrugs at first. But he quickly notes how Mingyu seems to visibly deflate beside him so screw it, he'll be candid, even if it's terribly embarrassing.

With a sigh, he nods. "Yeah. I do."

Mingyu bursts into giggles, feet kicking out like a giddy child and shoulders wiggling as if he's dancing in his seat.

"You want to kiss me!"

"Yeah, what of it?" Minghao bites back, his humiliation flaring up his defensiveness.

"I never would have known if you hadn't told me."

"You can't be that dumb."

"You were acting weird around me!"

"You were acting weird too!"

"Yeah, because I almost kissed my best friend and then he just acted like nothing had happened!" Mingyu points out, which silences Minghao.

He has a point.

"Do you still want to too?" Minghao asks, eyes trained on the ground as he kicks at a pebble, trying to seem casual.

"Kiss you? Of course I do."

He half expects Mingyu to lean in then and there but as he just said, Mingyu isn't that dumb. Even if nobody else seems to be around, they're still in public.

Minghao doesn't know how they are supposed to proceed; it's uncharted territory. But what he does know is that it's late and while he might not be showing it, Mingyu is as tired as he is.

So he takes the hand of his best friend (that he wants to kiss) and tugs him up to his feet before leading him home (while asking repeatedly which way they need to go).

Mingyu's bedroom only has one bed and being the gracious host he is, Mingyu offers to sleep on the floor. But that's dumb because in any other normal circumstance, they'd just share the bed like they have a hundred times before.

"Don't be like that," Minghao tells him, scooting in close to the wall so there's enough space for another body beside him. He pats it with his hand and Mingyu looks up from where he's laying down a blanket on the floor.

"Are you sure?" he asks slowly.

Minghao rolls his eyes with a smile. "Get up here."

The pair settle down, edges of arms and legs touching and Mingyu's ridiculous body heat warming the entire bed. The taller squirms a bit, toes kicking against Minghao's foot and he mutters an apology.

It's too quiet and the air feels tense. He knows Mingyu is wide awake beside him, probably trying to regulate his breathing or not move around too much anymore, walking on eggshells.

Heaving a sigh, Minghao sits up, pushing the duvet down.

"What?" Mingyu asks, eyes wide and looking comically terrified.

"Sit up," Minghao instructs him.

"Huh?"

"Sit up, Mingyu."

Mingyu does as he's told, slowly sitting up. Despite only having laid down for a few minutes, his hair is already a bit messy. Minghao reaches up a hand to flatten it back down and Mingyu watches his face, silent.

It takes Minghao a rush of courage to just _do it_ but he does finally, leaning in and pressing their lips together, the angle slightly uncomfortable. Mingyu's body is rigid all the way through the awkward kiss and still when Minghao breaks it.

"You can let out your breath now," Minghao tells him, keeping his slight disappointment to himself.

It wasn't bad per-say but it definitely lacked the... passion he had occasionally wondered if an exchange like that between them would have. Perhaps Mingyu being still as a statue didn't help matters.

Minghao is about to lay back down now that it's over and done with, maybe they can both settle down and get some sleep. But Mingyu grabs his arm and tugs him in before using his free hand to maneuver Minghao's head more towards his.

And Mingyu kisses him, this time mouth relaxed and lips alive, his shoulders hunched but at least not stiff. It isn't overly eager or needy; it's warm and nice, it has Minghao melting into the touch and he worries for a moment that he's acting all too much like a teenager experiencing their first kiss. But it's all too lovely of a feeling for anything but enjoyment to win out.

When their lips part, gently and slowly though really, all too quickly for Minghao's liking, he realizes he had curled his fist into the front of Mingyu's t-shirt. Instinctively, he lets go and Mingyu wastes no time catching it in his own hand and linking their fingers.

"Did I do it right that time?" Mingyu asks, voice quiet and raspy.

Minghao doesn't grant him a verbal response but instead just smiles at him. He lays back down, tugging for the taller to join him. He does, turning on his side, face towards Minghao.

"Is that it then?" Mingyu speaks up once more.

"Hm?"

"Now that we kissed. Is all that over?"

It's too late to deeply talk about such things, Minghao thinks. And it'd be a very complicated conversation even if he wasn't on the verge of slipping into dreamland. But he knows he needs to tell Mingyu something, to reassure him, because he can feel the other buzzing with nerves and questions and concerns.

"No. Kiss me again tomorrow," Minghao tells him, eyelids drooping as he blindly reaches out to pat the other's arm.

"Oh. Oh, okay," Mingyu whispers. Minghao knows he's smiling even with his eyes closed; he can hear it in his voice. It makes him smile too.

"Merry Christmas, Mingyu."

"Merry Christmas, Minghao."


End file.
